


come to life, automatic joy

by commovente



Series: SASO2016: bonus round 4 [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, ambiguously cyberpunk? it's all a mystery really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 14:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7466457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commovente/pseuds/commovente
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>in no sense of the word is oikawa tooru perfect, but that’s fine. wakatoshi doesn’t mind — he has never asked for oikawa to be anything more than exactly as he is.</p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	come to life, automatic joy

**Author's Note:**

> written as a prompt fill for SASO2016, bonus round 4: quotes. the original prompt is [here](http://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/15224.html?thread=6917752#cmt6917752).
> 
> title from _coin operated boy_ by the dresden dolls, the song from the prompt!

in no sense of the word is oikawa tooru perfect, but that’s fine. wakatoshi doesn’t mind — he has never asked for oikawa to be anything more than exactly as he is. in any case, wakatoshi isn’t perfect either. oikawa’s certainly told him often enough, if never in those exact words. but that doesn’t alter the fact that wakatoshi is strong, and so is oikawa. oikawa’s mentioned that often enough, too.

“you certainly don’t pull your punches, do you, ushiwaka-chan,” oikawa says. his voice draws out the words, backhanded approval making light of the situation in a way the rest of his body doesn’t. head high and stance almost rooted to the concrete of the alley in the dark, every aspect of him challenging and unyielding with every moment he doesn’t try to run.

wakatoshi rolls his shoulders back in response, rubbing at his smarting shoulderblade, the tender ache left behind by a touch lacking any tenderness at all.

“neither do you,” wakatoshi says, and even in the dark oikawa’s grin lights up and cuts through the rest of his face. there’s no strain at all when he moves, not that wakatoshi expected to find any — that he can see, anyway. so they continue to circle each other, clockwork motions built out of tension built out of habit and, beneath everything else, expectation. when oikawa laughs the sound of that cuts too, but not in a bad way, low and clear and proud. when wakatoshi speeds up half a step oikawa follows suit, almost as if nothing changed to begin with.

he wonders whether oikawa’s mind might be shifted half so easily, though he doubts it. oikawa all but confirms the thought with what he says next:

“against you? i can hardly afford to.”

“likewise,” wakatoshi admits quietly, “but not for lack of trying.”

“well, what can i say — i can be rather stubborn. though i suppose you’d know all about that, too, wouldn’t you.”

it’s not a question, but when oikawa moves wakatoshi answers, lunging forward as oikawa darts to the side, sidestepping wakatoshi’s attempts to grab him by stepping in close and away, close and away. there’s a glint of silver as oikawa weaves in and out of wakatoshi’s reach, flowing swift and smooth with each movement, afterimages of oikawa’s steps taken and avoided.

finally wakatoshi reaches out, arm making contact not with oikawa but the wall just behind him. it makes oikawa himself stop anyway, gauging wakatoshi’s next move. but there is none. wakatoshi watching oikawa too, taking in the way his right leg rests slightly behind the rest of him, silver peeking out between oikawa’s jeans and shoes dull from oikawa’s shadow. and then it’s gone, oikawa’s foot crossing behind his other leg, jeans hiding the cool shine from sight.

“it’s rude to stare,” oikawa murmurs.

“yes,” wakatoshi says, “but i believe it’s also rude to keep other people waiting.”

“oh?” oikawa still hasn’t moved, but something in him changes, not so much tense as it is waiting. “i don’t remember giving you something to wait for, though?”

“i disagree.”

wakatoshi’s ready when oikawa tries to get away, lets oikawa duck in close and catching him as he tries to move out away again. beneath oikawa’s jacket his shoulders dip up and fall in, steady but softer than wakatoshi was expecting, his own hold pressing too deeply. he doesn’t loosen it, though.

oikawa clears his throat and wakatoshi jerks his head back up to oikawa’s face, only just realising he had been staring again.

“find something surprising?” oikawa’s voice tells wakatoshi he knows exactly what wakatoshi’s just realised. since wakatoshi doesn’t say anything, oikawa does. “disappointed?” he adds. his hands reach up for wakatoshi’s wrists but his eyes never leave wakatoshi’s face and the expectation is still so obvious on oikawa’s own, only now wakatoshi pauses to consider what oikawa has been expecting.

wakatoshi knows what he still wants, though — that hasn’t changed.

“not really,” wakatoshi says. they’re standing close enough that when oikawa’s brows arch wakatoshi sees, feels his own lips tug up at the sight.

“it doesn’t change anything.” he pauses. “not the fact we’d work well together, at least. you’re strong, oikawa.”

laughing, oikawa replies: “so are you, ushiwaka-chan. you don’t need someone like me to partner up with.”

oikawa leans back, not to draw away but so he can shift how he stands, both feet firm on the ground, silver and shadow and oikawa, oikawa. wakatoshi loosens his grip on oikawa’s shoulders — not holding on, just touching.

“i don’t need a partner,” wakatoshi agrees, and oikawa quiets, but not before huffing at him once, amused and _i told you so_ rolling off the sound in equal measures.

“but,” wakatoshi continues, “it doesn’t mean i can’t ask for one.”

“and that would be me,” oikawa finishes.

“have you seen me ask anyone else?”

oikawa considers this, hums. “what makes you think i’ve been watching?”

wakatoshi lets both hands let go of oikawa entirely to rest by his sides instead. and it’s still dark but just beyond him the rest of the street thrums with life, leads on into a city that never sleeps, never misses a beat. no, wakatoshi doesn’t doubt oikawa at all.

“i’ve never found anything to convince me otherwise,” he says.

this time when oikawa smiles it’s just as bright, but not nearly as cutting, lighting up the rest of his face into something electric and fierce, one with the city yet still impossibly his own.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!


End file.
